Vending apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. P. HEROLD. VENDING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

- W'ITJV'ESSES INVENTOR M @KMM, 6 M Q y rm 1' Q V flttorneyg' {No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2;

G. P. HEROLD.

VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 461,610. Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

WI'I'NESSES JNVENTOR @MQW (No Model.) I I 3 Sheets-@heet 3. G. RHEROLD.

VENDING APPARATUS. N0. 461,61 0.- Patent-ed Oct. 20, 1891.

WITNESSES lA/l/zfA/TO/T I .s/W,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES PETER I-IEROLD, OF PHILAIDELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,610, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed May 29, 1890. Serial No! 353,544. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatI, CHARLES PETER HEROLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Vending Appara' tus, of which the following is a specification.-

My invention relates to that class of vending apparatus in which the articles to be purchased are discharged from a receptacle by means of a pusher operated by the purchaser and locked-until the introduction of a coin of proper size and value into the machine; and

my invention consists in constructing the parts of the machine as fully set forth-hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an external elevation of my improved vending apparatus: Fig. 2, a sectional elevation; Fig. 3, a plan View of parts within the base of the machine; Fig. 4, a plan view, the top of the receptacle-case being removed.

Within the base A of the machine are arranged the actuating devices for the pusher B, which moves above the top lot the base, which actuating devices are operated by the thumb-lever 2, pivoted to the side of the base and extending forward and outside of the base through a slot 3. The intermediate connections between the thumb-lever 2 and the pusher B may be of any suitable character; but, as shown, they consist of a bell-crank lever 4, one arm of which is connected to the slide 6 of the pusher by a connecting-rod 5, whilethe other arm extends to meet a lever 7, pivoted within the base, the other arm of the lever 7 extending over the thumb-lever 2. The parts are arranged as described and illustrated, so that by pressing upon the thumb-lever 2 the slide 6, with its pusher B, is caused to be moved forward against a package or, contained in a case 0 above the base, thereby forcing the package through a slot 8 in the case and outward over the platform 1 into a receptacle 9, from which the operator can take it.

In order to limit taking of the packages to those who make payment therefor, I combine with the above-described parts a locking device which prevcnts anymovements of such parts except when a coin of proper value and dimensions is placed in the machine. \Vhile such locking device may be constructed in" different ways in connection with said parts, I show it in the form of a weighted locking lever 10, which normally occupies a position with a finger 12 in front of a shoulder 13 of the slide 6, and with one arm 1 L extending across a channel 15 in a chute 16, leading from a slot 17 in the platform 1. hen a coin is placed in the slot 17, it runs down the channel until it makes contact with the arm 14, when the lever 10 will be depressed and the finger 12 will be carried from opposite the shoulder of the slide 6, when pressure upon the tongue-lever 2 will thrust forward the pusher. hen pressure is released upon the tongue-lever, a spring 18 will pull back the slide and the pusher, when the parts will re sume their normal positions, the coin falling from the channel into the base of the apparatus.

To prevent efforts to extract the packages by toolsintroduced from the outside, I arrange a guard 20 in front of the slot 8 and extending downward with itslower edge above the top of the platform 1, said guard being above the receptacle 9. This arrangement permits the articles to pass readily into the receptacle while guarding access to the interior of the case from without.

The case 0 maybe of any suitable construction; but in order to increase the storage capacity of the apparatus and the ability to support a number of different articles, I prefer to use a case movable to the base and provided with a series of channels, either of which may be brought into line with the pusher B. The case 0 may be round or polygonal and may be movably connected with the base in any suitable manner; but, as shown, it is sexagonal, turning around a vertical standard 21, which passes through a spider at the top of the case and to which is fastened a button 23, extending over the top of the case and locking the latter to the base. Within the case are guides 24, forming channels y for the different series of packages 00, with a slot 8 at the base of each channel and with a guard on the outside of the case over each slot, the guard having a curved edge and the series of guards forming practically a circular projection at the base of the case, which turns within an annular flange 26,

secured to the platform 1. In the middle of each guard 25 is a hand-hold 27, by which each channel maybe centered in its position opposite the pusher B and the guard 20, and at the bottom of the case is an annular rest 28, serving to support the series of packages, and in said rest in the middle of each channel is a slot 29 to receive the beveled knob of a fiat spring 30, which serves to hold the case in position when any one channel is brought opposite the pusher, but which will yield to a proper amount of force as is applied to turn the case between another channel and position opposite the pusher. It will be seen that by turning the ease the channels may be brought in any desired succession opposite the pusher, and when said packages contain different material any one of the same may be delivered after the deposit of the proper coin at the will of the operator.

Vhile the parts connected with the thumblever 2 may be secured to supports on the base, I prefer to support the whole by a frame D, which can be applied to or removed from the base with all the parts in proper relative position. This facilitates the construction and also prevents the disarrangement of the parts from warping of the case constituting the base.

It will be evident that in connection with the revolving case 0 different appliances may be used for moving the pusher.

In the e0in-chute I have provided an opening or slot U, through which a coin of smaller size or weight than a fixed denomination will pass without any action upon the levers.

IVithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim 1. In a vending apparatus, a case provided with a series of packages and with a slot through which the packages maybe forced outward in succession, combined with a pusher for forcing out said packages, a lever and intermediate connections for operating the pusher, said lever extending to the outside of the case, a locking device for restraining the movements of the pusher, and a channel for receiving the coin arranged to conduct said coin to a position to bear upon said locking device, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a case provided with a slot, a pusher and an operating-lever extending outside of the case, a locking-lever engaging the part of the pusher, and a coinchannel into which one end of the lockinglever extends, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the slotted case, sliding pusher, lever 52, and intermediate levers 4 and 7 and connecting-rod 5, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a pusher and its operating appliances and the detent 30, of a revoluble closed case provided with a series of package-receptacles, a series of hand-holds 27, and a series of slots 29, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the base supporting the pusher, revolving case 0, with a series of package receptacles and openings 8, a guard over each opening, and a flange upon the base inclosing all the guards, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the base, pusher, revolving case, guards on said case, flange 26, and guard 20, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES PETER HEROLD.

lVitnesses:

AUGUST Manson, J AGOB SoHoTT. 

